Method of,and equipment for,forming and moving picks in circular weaving looms



Apnl 22, 1969 A. MALCHAIR 3,439,714

METHOD OF, AND EQUIPMENT FOR, FORMING AND MOVING PICKS IN CIRCULAR WEAVING LOOMS Filed Sept. 13, 1966 Sheet of 7 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEBS Apnl 22, 1969 A. MALCHMR 3,439,714

METHOD OF, -AND EQUIPMENT FOR, FORMING AND MOVING PICKS IN CIRCULAR WEAVING LOOM'S Filed Sept. 13, 1966 7 Sheet 2 of 7 INVENTOR. A. M ed c 11 ai r- Aprll 22, 1969 A. MALCHAIR METHOD OF. AND EQUIPMENT FOR FORMING AND MOVING PICKS IN CIRCULAR WEAVING LOOMS 13. 1966 Filed Sept.

Sheet April 22, 1969 A. MALCHAIR METHOD OF. AND EQUIPMENT FOR, FORMING AND MOVING P 13, 1966 ICKS IN CIRCULAR WEAVING LOOMS Filed Sept.

Sheet Q QQ EKQR INVENTOR. A Mulch cLL'P m ldvukf A TTO rL N535" April 22, 1969 A. MALCHAIR METHOD OF. AND EQUIPMENT FOR, FORMING AND MOVING PICKS IN CIRCULAR WEAVING LOOMS Filed Sept. 13, 1966 Sheet 5 Of 7 INVENTOR. A M CLZ c h all r BydhJwJwg/lw A. MALCHAIR METHOD OF. AND EQUIPMENT FOR,

April 22, 1969 FORMING AND movms'rmxs IN CIRCULAR wmvme LOOMS Filed Sept. 13. 1966 Sheet 6 of 7- INVEN'iOR. A. M CLZChcLL'r GLLMQ Av-rqw ues A nl 22, 1969 A. MALCHAIR METHOD OF. AND EQUIPMENT FOR, FORMING AND MOVING PICKS IN CIRCULAR WEAVING LOOMS 13, 1966 Sheet 7 of '7 Filed Sept.

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United States Patent Oifice 3,439,714 Patented Apr. 22, 1969 METHOD OF, AND EQUIPMENT FOR, FORMING AND MOVING PICKS IN CIRCULAR WEAVING LOOMS Armand Malchair, Herstal, Belgium, assignor to Peltzer & Fils S.A., Verviers, Belgium Filed Sept. 13, 1966, Ser. No. 579,097 Claims priority, applicztggragelgium, Sept. 17, 1965,

Int. (:1. Dim 37/00 US. Cl. 139-13 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to circular looms producing fabrics having weft threads, variable as regards nature, quantity and color. More particularly, this invention has for its object a weft-drawing device characterised essentially in that it has the triple function of preparing the weft thread as to length, of developing the picks so prepared in the shed, and of affecting a pre-compression of the picks against the adjacent marginal edge of the fabric.

An object of the invention consists in a device for preparing, carrying and transporting picks in clrcular looms substantially comprising in combination a bed or platform rolling along a circular castellated path; integral with the front part of said platform, elements for movmg the weft thread presented by the weft nipper; associated w1th the inner edge of said platform, a shoe for guiding and precompressing the picks; supported on fixed supports mtegral with the loom frame, the complementary removable elements for the hooking up and the preparation respectively of the weft threads and, finally, a means for driving said rolling platform in rotation about the mam axis of the loom.

Another object of the invention is a method of preparing, carrying and transporting picks in circular looms substantially consisting in bringing the weft thread across the path of the weft-drawing device while holding it; in deforming said weft thread as a zig-zag perpendicularly to said weft-drawing device; in placing said weft thread cut to length on said weft-drawing device and in applying the pick so prepared in the base of the shed with a pre-compression during the progress of said weft-drawing device in said shed.

Said device and method can be carried out in various forms.

An example of carrying out the invention is described in detail hereafter by reference to the diagrammatic drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a circular loom using the weft-drawing device forming the object of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic section on the line II--II of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the device according to the invention for the preparation and moving of the picks as indicated at F3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view with partial sections in the direction of the arrow F4 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a view in the direction of arrow F5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a view in the direction of the arrows F6- P6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 are, respectively, sections on the lines VIIVII, VIIIVIl1 and lX-]X of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 10 represents another position of the apparatus of FIGURE 9;

FIGURES 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 are respectively sections on the lines XIXI, XIIXII, XIII-XIII, XIV- XIV and XVXV of FIGURE 5;

FIGURES 16, 17 and 18 are respectively sections on the lines XVI-XVI, XVIIXVII, and XVIIIXVIII of FIGURE 6;

FIGURES 19 to 23 represent very schematically the principal phases of the working cycle characterising the method of the invention.

In FIGURES 1 and 2 there are shown diagrammatically the main elements of the 100m using the weft-drawing device indicated at F3, according to the invention: namely, the main frame 1, the warp beams 2, the sheets of warp threads 3, the shed forming units 4, the weft selectors 5, the weft nippers 6, the take-up rollers 7, the rotary equipment 8 and its main driving mechanism 9.

The main frame 1 is arranged according to the number of sections forming a complete loom. The illustrated embodiment shows a circular loom having three units enabling three fabrics to be woven independently of each other in a quality or of designs which may be the same or different.

This main frame is arranged so as to be able to support in a perfectly stable manner all the fixed and moving elements of the loom, as well as the beams and the fabric with their respective let-01f and take-up mechanisms. In the present embodiment, there is also shown, supported on said main frame, an annular platform 10, enabling the loom to be permanently overseen and permitting easy access to its principal mechanisms.

The warp beams 2 are arranged in the traditional manner on drums that can be readily engaged and disengaged respectively from their support shown diagrammatically at 11, these supports as well as the let-off mechanisms (not shown) for the warp beams being known per se.

The sheets 3 of the Warp threads are, in the present case, guided by drums and support elements 121314 15-16, so that said warp threads are under constant tension. The warp threads then pass into the shed forming device shown schematically at 4, and operated by any appropriate heald mechanism (not shown).

In the shed the weft-drawing mechanism, shown schematically at 6, moves, after which the fabric is beaten-up and fed to take-up unit 7 in known manner. Such a combination forming actually a loom in itself, is positioned around the longitudinal axis of the loom in a symmetrical manner and there is maintained between them a gap in which are arranged the mechanisms of the selector, the weft nipper, the selvedge forming unit and the other auxiliary devices.

In the example shown schematically in FIGURES 1 and 2, the circular loom has been divided into six angular zones covering, alternately, a zone of 30 and indicated at A and B in FIGURE 1. The zones A correspond to the selecting and preparing zones for the weft threads, While the zones B correspond to the weaving zones proper.

The subject of the invention is concerned more particularly with the weft-drawing device, shown schematically at P3.

The apparatus for preparing and correctly positioning the picks in the successive sheds such as is represented by its essential elements in the annexed drawings is formed by the combination of a moving part 17 rotatable about the main axis of the circular loom and at the speed of the moving equipment of the latter, and a fixed portion 18 built integrally with the frame. The moving part 17 comprises a flat carriage having a platform 19 profiled in such manner as to present three longitudinal mouldings or recesses -21-22 concentric with the main axis of the loom, their concave face being upwardly directed. On its outside relatively to the center of the loom, said platform has two lower feet 23-24 and an upper medial foot 25. These feet are joined to said platform by stiffening ribs 26-27, 28-29 and 30-31, respectively, Fixed to said feet is a perforated guide plate 32 having, in elevation, an elongated rectangular form extended on each side by ends of ogival form having a rounded summit. The perforations fix the position of three cross-members 33-34- 35, the platform 19 being fixed to said cross-members by the screws 36-37-38 respectively. The outer cross-members 33-34 each have, above the level of the platform 19, an oblong hole 39-40 respectively, each traversed by the shaft 41-42 of a grooved wheel 43-44 respectively, said shafts being fixed for example by a screw, one of which is shown at 45 in FIGURE 11. At a level very slightly lower than that of the platform 19, the central crossmember has a hole 46 traversed by the shaft 47 of a grooved wheel 48, this shaft being fixed by the screw 49. Thus the two extreme grooved wheels 43, 44 are adapted to bear on an upper guide path 50 while the lower grooved wheel 48 is adapted to bear on a lower rolling path 51. These two guide and rolling paths are arranged in the form of a comb shown schematically in FIGURE 18. In this embodiment, this arrangement in comb form is obtained in that on a filiform element of good strength 52, which is angular and concentric to the vertical axis of the loom, there are threaded alternately teeth 53 and inserts 54 the dimensions, spacing and shape of these elements, constituting said guide and rolling paths 50, 51 respectively; they are selected in such manner as to permit, on the one hand, movements of the shed and, on the other, the free passage of the weft-drawing device without any damage to the warp threads. These guide and rolling paths 50, 51, are fixed on annular supports 55, 56 respectively, integral with the main frame of the loom so that said guide and rolling paths are positioned opposite the conventional reed 57 of the loom. The inner portion 58 of the platform 19 is inclined and extended by a shoe 59, the position of which can be readily regulated by the cooperation, on the one hand, of a shaft 60 pivotally securing said shoe and, on the other hand, of an elongated curved slot 61 cooperating with a clamping screw 62. This shoe has a lateral spout 63, enabling the weft thread to be guided positively over the whole length of this shoe 59. On the other hand, said shoe is profiled, positioned and extended in such manner that during displacement of the weft-drawing device, the weft thread is very precisely applied in the base of the shed against the adjacent edge of the fabric. For the same purpose, the platform 19, in front of the shoe 59, again has means which allow the thread to be gently braked, while still increasing the guiding action. After having been inserted into the shed by the device of the present invention, the pick is beaten up by any suitable means known in the art. They can consist, for example, of beat-up plates (not shown), each located behind a unit 17 and movable therewith. This device is formed of two resilient plates 64-64 fixed by a screw 65 and pins 66-67 on the platform 19, a seating 68 being interposed. The edges of the upper plate 64 are curved upwardly, while the edges of the lower plate 64 are curved downwardly, thus forming gaps facilitating the guiding and the braking of the thread without any danger of the excessive formation of fiuif, or breakage of the weft thread. Along the front edge of the platform 19 are arranged three grooved pulleys 69-70-71, mounted to idle on their shafts 72-73-74 respectively, which are themselves mounted on said platform by any suitable means (not shown) and in such manner that these pulleys are equidistant and are disposed on either side of the mouldings 21-22.

The fixed part 18 comprises, substantially, a small frame 75 fixed to the annular support 55. On this frame 75, and through the intermediary of roller bearings 76- 77 there is mounted a shaft 78, upon which is keyed a toothed wheel 79. This wheel engages with a pinion 80, the shaft 81 of which likewise bears on the support 75 through the intermediary of roller bearings 82-83. On either side of the pinion 80, a shaft 81 carries two pairs of coaxial arms 84-85 and 86-87 which are rigidly fixed t0 the shaft 81 and at the end of each of these arms there is mounted an idling grooved pulley 88-89 and 90-91 respectively, preferably having a diameter equal to that of the front pulleys 69-70-71.

This arrangement is such that the shaft 81 can be displaced stepwise through 180 so that the two pulleys 88, 89 or 89, 91 can be positioned accurately in the plane of the front pulleys 69-70-71 and each on the axis of one of the concave mouldings, 21-22 respectively. To produce this stepwise movement, the shaft 78 has a corresponding stub 92, on to which is keyed the rotor 93 of a small turbine 94. The inlet 95 of the case of this small turbine is connected to a generator or to a source of fluid under pressure, generally air (not shown).

On the same square end 92 are keyed two identical escapement wheels 96, 97, which however are offset with respect to each other. In the present case, each of them has four teeth, the whole forming an escapement wheel having eight equidistant teeth. This number of teeth moreover is dependent upon the ratio of the toothed wheel 79 and its pinion 80. Combined with these two coaxial toothed wheels 96-97 is a double escapement 98, one stop 99 of which is in engagement with the wheel 96, while the second stop 100 is in engagement with the second wheel 97. This escapement is connected by a rod 101 to the core of an electro-magnet 102, the excitation circuit of which is controlled by a push bottom switch 102' operated by the guide plate in such a Way that current is alternatively supplied to, and cut off from, said electro-magnet in synchronism with the positions and the movements respectively of the other moving parts of the weaving loom. In any event, the escapement 28 in cooperation with the toothed wheels 96-97 is such that, under the drive from the turbine 94, the shaft 81 can turn each time very accurately and step by step through while the moving part of the weft-drawing device can be continuously rotated around the main axis of the loom by any appropriate mechanism (not shown) and can be combined with said moving part of the weft-drawing device and, more particularly, the platform 19.

Arranged in this manner, this weft-drawing device functions systematically in the manner described hereafter, and by application of the method illustrated in FIGURES 19-23: in a waiting position, as shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 19, the moving part 17 of the Weft-drawing device is positioned ahead of the fixed part 18 and the weft nipper 6 is positioned in a starting position ahead of the fixed part 18. The nipper 6 shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 1 and 2 does not constitute a part of the present invention and is fully described in applicants co-pending application Ser. No. 579,080. Before the moving part 17 has reached the fixed part 18, the weft nipper 6 is dis placed transversely and has moved the weft thread T across the trajectory F of the moving part 17, the free end of the weft thread T remaining firmly held by the weft nipper 6. The weft thread T is moved in the median plane of the grooved pulleys of the moving part 17 as well as of the grooved pulleys of the fixed part 18 of the weft-drawing device (FIGURE 20). The weft thread T is met by the three front grooved pulleys 69-70-71 and simultaneously applied against the grooved pulleys 88, 89 or 89, 91 of the fixed part 18 of the weft-drawing device (FIGURE 21). In this way, during the progress of the moving part 17 of the weft-drawing device, the weft thread T is developed as a zig-Zag on said moving part until it reaches the predetermined length of the pick (FIGURE 22) The weft thread T has been guided by the spout 63 of the shoe 59 and lightly braked by the plate 64. At this moment, the shoe is located at the entry to the shed, the weft nipper 6 opens and releases the corresponding end of the weft thread T, and the latter is seetioned to the right of the selector 5, thus forming a pick.

Also, simultaneously with the release of nipper 6 the lower rollers 89-91 of the fixed equipment 18 are removed from contact with the weft. This removal is achieved by the closing, at the appropriate time, of the excitation circuit of the electro-magnet 102, the core of which exerts a pull on the rod 101 which lifts the escapement 98. By this movement, the stop 99 moves away while the stop 100 moves into the operational position. Since the escapement wheels 96-97 are keyed on the shaft 92 and the latter is continuously urged to rotate by the turbine 94, the shaft 92 will have turned through one step, the amplitude of which is equal to the angular distance between two successive teeth of the assembly formed by the two wheels 96-97. There corresponds to this angular displacement, via the shaft 78, the toothed wheel 79, the pinion 80 and the shaft 81, which rotates clockwise as shown in FIG. 7, a rotation through 180 of the arms 85 to 87, that is to say, of the grooved wheels 88-91. The movement away of said grooved wheels in relation to the plane of the platform 19, thus takes place during this angular movement. From this moment on, the moving part 17 of the weft-drawing device moves in the shed and the pick, due to the very effective intervention of the shoe 59, is applied in a normal manner very closely to the adjacent marginal portion of the fabric. This operation is facilitated by the fact that the pick rests freely on the platform 19, the surface of which is preferably treated in such manner as to be slightly rough or adherent with regard to the thread, in order to promote its normal development as its application against the fabric proceeds. The pick thus positioned can be compressed by any adequate means (not shown). On the other hand, due to the rotation through 180 of the shaft 81 of the fixed part 18 of the weft-drawing device, this fixed part has been immediately returned to the waiting position for the formation of a new pick in cooperation with the following weft-drawing device and so on.

It is apparent that the relative position of the grooved pulleys with respect to the fixed and moving parts can be altered by any appropriate means, for the purpose of predetermining the length of the pick so formed on the weft-drawing device before the insertion of the pick in the shed.

It is also apparent that the grooved pulleys can be replaced by any other stop and/or driving means for establishing in advance the length of the weft thread to be carried by the moving part of the said thread drawing device for the formation and the introduction of the pick into the shed.

It is also apparent that the example that has just been described has no limiting character and that the invention concerns in principle the method permitting the preparation and insertion of the pick. The means for ensuring this preparation and permitting this insertion in conditions disclosed herein, are essentially variable.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for drawing off and inserting weft picks in a circular loom having a frame and forming sheds having :a base, said apparatus comprising at least one platform rolling along a circular path and through the sheds and having a front edge relatively to its direction of movement, weft engaging means carried by said platform adjacent said front edge, and withdrawable weft guiding means fixed to said frame and extending across the path of movement of said platform, said weft engaging means and said weft guiding means drawing off a length of weft equal to one pick and depositing it in zig-zag configuration upon said platform.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, having upper and lower castellated paths for said rolling platform, two outer rollers carried by said platform and bearing on the lower castellated rolling path and an intermediate roller carried by said platform and bearing on the upper castellated path.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the rolling platform is profiled to present at least two concave concentric and longitudinal mouldings, three shafts, three grooved rollers idling on said shafts and located on either side of said mouldings, two other removable grooved rollers, a fixed support carrying the last-mentioned rollers, said support being arranged to take up a position in the plane of said grooved wheels of the rolling platform oppo site said concentric mouldings.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said platform has an inner edge facing the center of the loom, said platform having a shoe located on its inner edge for guiding the weft being drawn off said platform into the shed, said shoe being angularly adjustable and having a groove for receiving and guiding the weft.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said shoe is triangular in shape and has a free tip extending close to the base of the shed.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said platform comprises complementary guiding and braking means located in front of said shoe relatively to the direction of movement of the platform.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said complementary guiding and braking means comprise two small resilient blades and a support, said blades being fixed together close to one of their ends and to the platform by said support, said blades having curved free ends.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the withdrawable Weft guiding means comprises substantially a horizontal shaft, two pairs of coaxial arms carried by said shaft, grooved rollers carried by ends of said arms, motor means for rotating said shaft, and stop means permitting only controlled stepwise displacements of of said shaft.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the driving means for the withdrawable weft guiding means comprise a small turbine under permanent pressure, said stop means being of the escapement type, and an electro-magnet periodically brought into and out of circuit for controlling said stop means.

10. A method of drawing off and inserting weft picks in a circular loom forming sheds having a base, a movable drawing off and weft inserting device and a weft nipper presenting the weft thread to said drawing off and Weft inserting device, said method comprising the steps of drawing off a length of Weft thread presented by the nipper while simultaneously forming said weft thread into zigzag lengths upon the drawing off and weft inserting device and then progressively inserting said lengths into the shed adjacent its base during the movement of the drawing 01f device and weft inserting device.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 720,181 2/1903 Salisbury 13912 2,609,008 9/1952 Cooper 139--13 XR 2,799,295 7/ 1957 Juillard et al. 139-12 3,319,663 5/1967 Fend 139-12 HENRY S. JAUDON, Primary Examiner. 

